Your favorite restaurant is full, babysitters are in short supply, and it’s
too much trouble taking off to a romantic resort on a weekday. But you don’t
have to water down those hot Valentine’s Day plans. With a little effort,
you can transform your home into an enticing love nest that will spark intimacy
all year long.
It’s not a matter of sprinkling rose petals around the room or lighting
candles. Nor do you have to go over-the-top by planting an arsenal of Cupids or
filling the ceiling with heart-shaped balloons (in fact, that would probably extinguish
the flames of passion before they’ve even been lit). All it takes is a few
simple touches, no matter what your decorating style may be.
“When it comes to decorating, people tend to neglect the bedroom, since
it is rarely seen by company. As a result, people may not realize that their bedside
table has become a display of self-help books, bills, and even old prescriptions,”
says Jennifer O’Neil, home décor columnist and co-author of Decorating
with Funky Shui: How To Lighten Up, Loosen Up, and Have Fun Decorating Your Home.
“We suggest performing a cleansing ceremony to rid your bedroom of romance
blockers. Be sure to toss dead plants in favor of fresh roses. And replace photos
of parents with pictures of you and your sweetheart – kissing, if possible.”
Along with that advice, Jennifer and her sister, Kitty (www.funkyshui.com),
have five other red-hot ideas to punch up the sizzle in the bedroom.
Name your bedroom. Hang a sign on
the door that sets the stage for love. Try “The Love Shack,” “The
Penthouse Suite,” or “Lookout Point.”
Make your own music. Burn a mixed
CD of romantic (or red hot!) mood music just for the bedroom.
Adjust your lighting. Avoid using
an overhead fixture. Instead, put lamps on dimmer switches and add candles for
a more alluring ambience.
Dress up your bed. Make an instant
canopy over the bed by hanging a long piece of silk organza from the ceiling.
Put your love in writing. Frame
a cherished love letter (from your current lover, of course!).
To really pump up the bedroom fun, try this: “Create a ‘Honey Do Jar,’
but instead of household chores, fill it with sexy suggestions like ‘Nibble
my earlobes’ and ‘Kiss me all over,’” Kitty adds.
And if you’re feeling crafty, try this simple Valentine’s Day project:
“I feel that it’s the little details that make the day special. So,
turn ordinary things into little tokens of love, like the ice cubes in your wine
or champagne bucket,” says interior decorator Jonathan Fong (www.jonathanfongstyle.com).
“[Create] ice cubes [with] mini roses frozen in them to remind your loved
one that he/she has captured your heart.”
ROSE PETAL ICE
1. Cut the stems of the spray roses (these are
the miniature ones) to about two inches.
2. Attach them to a skewer with twist ties, and then tape the skewers to an
ice cube tray, with a rose going into each ice receptacle. This step is necessary
because, otherwise, the roses will float and not stay in the water.
3. Add water to the ice tray and freeze.
4. When the ice is frozen, the stems and skewers will snap off.
Now, throw these ice roses into a champagne bucket, pop the champagne and enjoy
your romantic retreat. Your love life will thank you. But be warned: Don’t
eat the roses or put them in your drink. Says Fong: “I would use the ice
only to cool an ice bucket, [unless] you know they’re organic and pesticide-free.
If you’re a creative, out-of-the-box DIYer who has completed a unique
home project or turned trash into out-of-this-world home furnishings, emailikew@thewavemag.com.
